The present invention relates to model railroading, and particularly to improving the realistic appearance of model railroad track, and more particularly to track having a center rail.
Realism in the appearance of trains and track, and the buildings, accessories, and other elements of attendant layout scenery, is a quality many model railroading hobbyists continually strive to achieve. One area of continuing frustration for these enthusiasts concerns the presence in certain types of model railroad track of its electrified rail which is centrally located between the two parallel wheel-bearing rails. Typically, this center rail is electrified by alternating current (AC) to provide electrical power to the train locomotive, which is typically powered by an AC or rectified direct current (DC) electric motor grounded through its wheels to the wheel-bearing rails of the track, which are also grounded. A center rail is generally not included in real-world track for nonelectric trains, and therefore provides what many consider an undesirable characteristic of certain types of model railroad track that detracts from its realism. It has long been desirable, therefore, to mask or camouflage the electrified center rail, while preserving its functional purpose of powering the locomotive.
One type of model railroading track utilizing an electrified center rail is O-gauge track, which has long been widely used. Certain example sections of O-gauge track still commonly used in model railroading layouts are shown in FIGS. 1-3, although it is to be understood that the present disclosure does not relate solely to examples depicted herein or to O-gauge track, but to any type of model railroad track whose appearance is beneficially altered by application of the present invention. Extant railroad track which includes a center rail is generally described as follows, with reference to FIGS. 1-4.
Herein, outward and inward generally refer to directions away from and towards the center rail, respectively. Extant track 20 include a pair of elongate wheel-bearing rails 22 each having inwardly facing lateral side 24, an opposing, outwardly facing lateral side 26, and a top surface 28 along which the train wheels roll. The top surface 28 may be defined on head 30 of the respective rail 22. Opposite the head 30, each rail 22 may be provided with base 32 on which the rail 22 appears to rest. Rail 22 may define a web 34 that extends vertically between head 30 and base 32, providing rail 22 with a generally I-shaped cross-sectional shape. Typically, rail inward and outward lateral sides 24, 26 are defined by web 34 and portions of head 30. In some track embodiments, base 32 is planar and substantially horizontal, and simulates having a bottom surface resting upon a plurality of simulated tie plates 36. In such embodiments the rail base 32 and tie plates 36 may appear to be affixed by track spikes 38 to top surface 40 of one of a plurality of crossties 42.
Crossties 42, which may, for example, be molded plastic or shaped wood, are elongate and in some track embodiments simulate in color and texture the appearance of the wooden crossties they are intended to replicate. In the depicted track embodiments, each crosstie 42 extends between opposing axially opposite ends 44, 46 which are planar, and have opposing, planar first and second side surfaces 48, 50 facing directions along which rails 22 extend. First side surface 48 and second side surface 50 of adjacent crossties 42 interface each other and are spaced along rails 22. In the depicted track embodiments, opposite crosstie top surfaces 40 is planar bottom surface 52 which may or may not fully extend between crosstie first and second side surfaces 48, 50, depending on the crosstie material or forming method. Each depicted crosstie 42 has central axis 54 that extends between and is normal to opposing axially opposite ends 44, 46. In straight track sections 20, central axes 54 are parallel; in curved track sections 20 central axes 54 converge in a radial direction toward the inside of the curve and diverge in the opposite radial direction, toward the outside of the curve.
Extant track sections 20 include a singular, elongate electrified rail 60 centrally disposed between the pair of wheel-bearing rails 22. Because center rail 60 is electrified, it must be electrically isolated from wheel-bearing rails 22, and may be electrically insulated from crossties 42 (and thus from rails 22), or may be electrically isolated from rails 22 by virtue of crossties 42 themselves being electrically insulative. For example, crossties 42 may be formed of a dielectric material such as plastic or wood as described above.
Center rail 60 has opposing lateral sides 62 that interface inward lateral sides 24 of rails 22. Center rail 60 has top surface 64 that may or may not, depending on manufacturer, be defined on a head 66 (similar to head 30) of the respective rail 60. When viewed in cross-sections taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of rails 22 and 60, center rail top surface 64 and wheel-bearing rail top surfaces 28 define a generally horizontal plane. Typically, top surfaces 28 and 64 are located at a common height above horizontal top planar surface 40 of crossties 42 in most extant track 20 embodiments. In certain extant track embodiments, center rail 60 may also be provided with a base 68 (similar to base 32), and lateral sides 62 that are defined by a web 70 (similar to web 34) extending vertically between head 66 and base 68, to define a generally I-shaped cross-sectional shape. In certain embodiments, base 68 is substantially horizontal, and simulates having a bottom surface resting upon a plurality of simulated tie plates 72 (similar to tie plates 36). Alternatively, at each crosstie 42 base 68 may be hidden beneath crosstie top surface 40. Typically, surface 40 is planar and horizontal, a configuration that accentuates the presence of the upstanding center rail 60, as discussed further below.
FIG. 1 shows a straight section of extant O-gauge track 20a of a brand commercialized by Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc. that has wheel-bearing rails 22a, molded, brown plastic crossties 42a having a hollowed bottom surface 52, and center rail 60a. In track section 20a, rails 22a and 60a each have head 30, 66 and base 32, 68 between which extends web 34, 70. The cross-sections of rails 22a and 60a are solid, and the size of and/or spacing between crossties 42a are unique to that particular brand and size (e.g., O-gauge) of track.
FIG. 2 shows a straight section of extant O-gauge track 20b of a brand commercialized by M.T.H. Electric Trains that has wheel-bearing rails 22b, molded, brown plastic crossties 42b having a hollowed bottom surface 52, and center rail 60b. In track section 20b, rails 22b each have a solid cross-section, and head 30 and base 32 between which extends web 34. The cross-section of rail 60b is also solid, but has uniformly rectangular vertical and horizontal portions; the vertical portion, which defines opposing lateral sides 62, is bereft of a head portion, and perpendicularly intersects the upper surface of the horizontal rail portion which defines base 68, thereby defining an inverted T shape. Each crosstie 42b is molded about base 68, thereby defining in each crosstie a horizontal slot 74 containing base 68, and vertical slot 76 in crosstie top surface 40 from which the vertical portion of center rail 60b. The size of and/or spacing between crossties 42b are unique to that particular brand and size (e.g., O-gauge) of track.
FIG. 3 shows a straight section of extant O-gauge track 20c of a brand commercialized by GarGraves Trackage Corporation that has wheel-bearing rails 22c, wooden, brown-stained crossties 42c, and center rail 60c. In track section 20c, rails 22c and 60c each have head 30, 66 and base 32, 68 between which extends web 34, 70. Rails 22c and 60c are formed of sheet metal and generally tubular, providing hollow cross-sections. Crossties 42c are provided with angled slots 56 into which flanges of rails 22c are fitted and angled slots 78 into which flanges of rail 60c are fitted, as shown. The size of and/or spacing between crossties 42c are unique to that particular brand and size (e.g., O-gauge) of track.
In track 20a, 20b and 20c, center rail 60 is camouflaged and rendered somewhat less noticeable by its having a dark color, whereas rails 22 are relatively lighter in color. For example, center rail 60 may be black or a dark brown color similar to that of crossties 42, whereas wheel-bearing rails 22 may be a color such as silver, brass, or gray providing greater contrast to the brown crossties.
FIG. 4 shows a straight section of prior O-gauge track 20d commercialized by Lionel Corporation as Super “O”™ model railroad track. In track 20d, wheel-bearing rails 22d each have head 30 and base 32 between which extends web 34. Rails 22d are formed of sheet metal and generally tubular, providing a hollow cross-section. Rail 60d has a substantially uniform rectangular cross-section and is darkly colored, as described above. Each crosstie 42d is molded, brown plastic and provided with a vertical slot 80 into which the bottom portion of center rail 60d is disposed. Unlike track 20a, 20b and 20c, in track 20d the entire top surface 40 of crosstie 42d is not substantially horizontal between crosstie opposite axial ends 44, 46. In track 20d, each crosstie 42d has a planar portion of its top surface 40 that inclines from a location laterally inward of each rail 22d towards the interfacing side 62 of center rail 60d. Thus, in track 20d laterally inward portions of crosstie 42d, which are located adjacent center rail lateral sides 62, cover and hide from view portions of center rail lateral sides 62, rendering center rail 60d less noticeable than it would be were the entirety of crosstie surface 40 to define a horizonal plane, as it does in track 20a, 20b and 20c. 
Another popular but unshown example of extant track is an embodiment commercialized by Lionel Corporation and commonly known as Lionel tubular track, which is widely available in O-gauge. This type of track employs metal stampings as crossties. These crossties have horizontally planar top surfaces and open axial ends, are typically painted black, and are widely spaced along the length of each track section. In such track the wheel-bearing and center rails are bright silver and their bases are clamped via staking to the crossties, with the center rail insulated from each crosstie with a sheet of insulating material wrapped about the center rail base and a portion of the rail web. Comparatively, the appearance of Lionel tubular track is far less realistic than that of any of above-described track 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d. 
Prior track 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d represent the current state of the art with regard to camouflaging center rail 60, with track 20d, by virtue of its uniquely shaped crossties 42d which incline laterally inwardly towards the lateral sides 62 of center rail 60d, generally considered to be the best existing approach towards rendering the center rail less noticeable and therefore imparting the most realistic appearance to the track.
There is, however, a substantial amount of extant track that is and will remain in use. Improving the aesthetics of model railroad layouts that utilize existing track having a center rail and crossties provided with top surfaces that substantially lie in horizontal planes between its wheel-bearing rails and the center rail, by at least partially covering or hiding the side of the center rail without compromising function, is desirable.